Come Back to Me
by Creativecat5
Summary: The path that leads Aang away from Katara but eventually brings him back to her again.


Come Back to Me

Aang thought he would be feeling relieved after he had defeated the Fire Lord but the only thing he felt was confusion. For the last few days he had been trying to convince himself that the kiss he and Katara had shared was because she had finally realized that she loved him as much as he loved her. But since then Katara had not shown him any other signs of affection. It may have been because the team had been busy planning operation Recovery.

Unfortunately, Aang did not feel much like participating, it was just too hard to concentrate when his heart was just not into it. He needed some male bonding and advice obviously Sokka would not be an appropriate person to ask and Zuko was too busy with his new Fire Lord responsibilities he wanted to pardon most of the prisoners including Fire Sage Shyu who had helped Aang and the others escape from Captain Zhao at Roku's temple. Zuko also explained that he needed to make amends with some of the people he had hurt in his past. He had found Lee's brother still alive in one of the prisons and wanted to personally escort him home to his family and while doing that he also wanted to personally return an ostrich horse back to Song and her mother who were kind enough to have him and Uncle Iroh for dinner. He also wanted to talk to Jin again and explain why he had left her so abruptly in Ba Sing Se. So with Zuko out of the picture, Aang then remembered that Iroh had already given him some good advice before and Iroh was more than happy to help the young Avatar

"It is sometimes necessary for two people to walk on separate paths before they are ready to walk on the same path together. Let me give you an example of what I mean. I knew that Zuko needed to go his own way and find his destiny. Only by letting go of him completely allowed him the opportunity to find the right path which ultimately led him back to me."

Aang appreciated Iroh's advice but felt the need to also contact Avatar Roku. Aang got into his meditating position and called out to Roku "Nice to see you again Aang, I knew you could defeat Fire Lord Ozai and restore balance to the world. I am very proud of you but I see that you have something else on your mind"

Aang didn't want to chicken out so he blurted it out "Do you remember telling me that love would get better?" Roku was a little surprised that this was the reason why Aang had contacted him "Aang you are still very young and you have plenty of time to worry about girls what you need now is to complete your Avatar training but in the meantime just believe when love is real it finds a way."

Aang then realized what he needed to do was give Katara some time and distance to sort out her true feelings about him. So when he finally got a chance to be alone with her, he asked her to take a walk in the city. Aang couldn't keep his eyes off of Katara while they were walking. He watched how the wind had swept her hair across her face and how her blue eyes reminded him of the ocean. He kept thinking how hard it was going to be to leave her.

Katara noticed his gaze "Aang are you OK? You have not said much over the past couple of days".

Aang hesitated but then turned and looked directly at her "Katara I have been thinking about us and I have realized that you are still not certain how you feel about me". Aang noticed that Katara had turned her head away to hide her reaction to his statement. He nearly choked on the next few words but continued "you deserve to be with someone who you really care about and if you are not sure if that someone is me then I think it is best that we go our separate ways at least for a while."

Katara was not able to speak and nodded her head slowly. She knew Aang was right.

Aang added "I am hoping this time apart will give you the time you need to figure out what you really want. I know that you still see me as just a kid. In fact if I recall correctly you once said that I was only a good friend and you that you even compared me to Momo."

Katara did recall saying that but that was a long time ago before she had a chance to see how much Aang had changed during the past year. She knew she cared for him deeply but how deeply was the question.

Aang took her hand "I need to complete my Avatar training and travel to each nation to promote the recovery process". Aang then noticed Katara looking at him with tears in her eyes. He pretended not to notice. "Katara you know I love you and that I have since the first time we met. I know that our time apart will not change how I feel about you but you really need this time to decide how you really feel about me."

Come Back to Me

By David Cook

You say you gotta go and find yourself

You say that you're becoming someone else

Don't recognize the face in the mirror looking back at you

You say you're leaving as you look away

I know there's really nothing left to say

Just know I'm here whenever you need me, I will wait for you

So I'll let you go, I'll set you free

And when you've seen what you need to see

When you find you...come back to me

Take your time, I won't go anywhere

Picture you with the wind in your hair

I'll keep your things right where you left 'em, I'll be here for you.

Oh, and I'll let you go, I'll set you free

And when you've seen what you need to see

When you find you...come back to me

And I hope you find everything that you need

I'll be right here, waiting to see

You find you...come back to me

And I can't get close if you're not there

I can't get inside if there's no soul there

I can't fix you, I can't save you

It's something you'll have to do.

So I'll let you go, I'll set you free

And when you've seen what you need to see

When you find you...come back to me

Come back to me

So I'll let you go, I'll set you free

And when you've seen what you need to see

When you find you...come back to me

And I hope you find everything that you need.

I'll be right here, waiting to see.

You find you...come back to me

When you find you...come back to me

When you find you...come back to me

It had now been over two years since he had said good bye to Katara and the others. First he decided to take Appa and Momo back to see his friend Bumi in Omashu. Bumi helped him further master his earth bending skills that he learned from Toph.. He actually did miss Toph's peculiar teaching techniques and he would also hate to admit it but he also missed her calling him "twinkle toes".

Next he spent time honing his fire bending skills with Master Jeong Jeong. This time he was prepared to receive his training. He told Jeong Jeong about his trip with Zuko to the ruins of the Sun Warriors where they learned that dragons were still alive and a fire bending technique called the "Dancing Dragon".

He then traveled to the Southern water tribe and helped them rebuild their wonderful city of ice and water. He spent some of his time there meditating at the Spirit Oasis gazing at Tui and La and remembering the sacrifice that Yue had made to save the world. He was disappointed that he would not get a chance to enhance his water bending skills with Master Pakku. Pakku had moved to the Northern Water Tribe and was now married to Katara and Sokka's Gran Gran. Aang also returned to the Foggy Swamp and learned plant bending from Tho, Due and Huu. Finally Aang traveled back to all of the air temples. First he went back to his home at the Southern Air temple. It held so many memories for him it was a painful experience but he remembered what Guru Pathik told him that he needed to let go of the past. So then he decided to go back to the Eastern Air temple to see the Guru and get some more onion and banana juice. Guru Pathik was very happy to see Aang again. "Aah Aang it is good to see you. I was not sure if that would happen when you ran off without finishing your training. I heard about how you were able to defeat the Fire Lord without using unnecessary violence. I am very proud of you but is that how you got that nasty scar on your back?" "No that happened before that. I had take your advice and let Katara go in order to go into the Avatar state but while I was doing that Azula the Fire Nation's princess hit me with lightening. I actually died but Katara was able to bring me back with her healing powers." "Well she sounds like a very special girl so I can see why you did not want to let her go. So where is she now?" "That is a long story but this time I let her go again hoping that by letting her go she will come back to me on her own." "That is a very wise thing to do Aang and I am sure that you two will find your destinies together." Aang then traveled to the Northern Air temple to visit the Mechanist and his son. He was happy to see that their community was thriving and enjoying being free from the Fire Nations control. Finally he went back to the Westen Air temple. It was in need of some repairs due to Azula and Combustian man. Now with his refned earth bending skills Aang was able to restore most of the temple.

Here without You

By 3 Door Down

A hundred days have made me older

since the last time that I've saw your pretty face

A thousand lies have made me colder

and I don't think I can look at this the same

But all the miles that separate

They disappear now when I'm dreaming of your face

I'm here without you baby

but you're still on my lonely mind

I think about you baby

and I dream about you all the time

I'm here without you baby

but you're still with me in my dreams

And tonight it's only you and me

The miles just keep rollin'

as the people leave their way to say hello

I've heard this life is overrated

but I hope that it gets better as we go

I'm here without you baby

but you're still on my lonely mind

I think about you baby

and I dream about you all the time

I'm here without you baby

but you're still with me in my dreams

And tonight girl it's only you and me

Everything I know,

and anywhere I go

it gets hard but it won't take away my love

And when the last one falls,

when it's all said and done

it gets hard but it won't take away my love

I'm here without you baby

but you're still on my lonely mind

I think about you baby

and I dream about you all the time

I'm here without you baby

but you're still with me in my dreams

And tonight girl it's only you and me

Thoughts of Katara followed him everywhere he went. He could not stop wondering if she would ever want to be with him the way he wanted to be with her. Finally he could not stand not knowing any more and decided to go visit Aunt Wu the fortune teller that he and Katara had seen before. He asked her if he would end up with Katara or not.

She could only tell him the same thing she had told him before "trust your heart and you will be with the one you love". Aang recalled the lesson he learned in the Cave of the Two Lovers and decided to continue to put his trust in love.

Instead of shaving his head every day as was the tradition for the air temple monks he was letting his hair grow out. Katara had mentioned she liked his hair after. It was now almost covering the arrow on his forehead. He was working out everyday and started to notice that his body was changing and maturing. His shoulders were growing broader and he had grown a lot taller. His voice started to deepen. He was now over 16 which would have been the age that he was supposed to find out he was the Avatar.

Just as he was preparing for his return back to see Katara, he received a wedding invitation via messenger hawk for the upcoming nuptials between Zuko and Mai. The invitation included a personal note from Zuko requesting that he be his best man.

The wedding was a week away and as the best man he needed to get there a few days early to help with all the wedding preparations. He arrived at the palace as soon as he could and was greeted by Zuko and Mai. They both seemed to be very happy which was unusual for them.

"Aang wow you have changed since the last time we saw you. You were a kid when you left and now you are all grown up".

Aang had a hard time settling into his large room because he was not used to these types of accommodations. The knot in his stomach was unbearable he had not felt this nervous about anything since he had to face Fire Lord Ozai. Suddenly his train of thought was broken by a knock on the door.

It was Zuko "Aang I need to go over the wedding plans with you if you have a spare moment". Zuko came into the room sat down and started to explain that the wedding party would include Tai Lee as maid of honor and Katara and Toph as the two bridesmaids and that on his side Sokka and Huru as the two ushers. Mai had chosen to have Uncle Iroh give her away she still did not want anything to do with her own father. Zuko said that there was to be another person in the wedding party but he was keeping that a secret. Aang immediately figured who it was and asked" Zuko did you find your mother?" Zuko knew he could not keep a secret from the Avatar "yes Uncle Iroh and June the bounty hunter helped me locate her but it took us a while." "You must be very happy to have her back and I can't wait to meet her". "Zuko then told Aang that his great grandfather on his mother'side had been Avatar Roku and that meant in some way they were actually related. Aang had wondered why Roku had not told him about this but perhaps Roku did not know but he was more curious as to why Huru was an usher. He remembered that Katara had gotten close to Huru when she helped him and his father escape from the Fire Nation's prison. He also recalled that Toph had once blurted out that she thought Katara had a thing for Huru.

"Zuko do you think it would be possible for me to have some time alone with Katara before the wedding? I need to talk to her". "Well it is the least I could do for my best man." Zuko had known for quite some time how Aang had felt about Katara, He had seen it from the moment he joined their group.

The night Katara had arrived, she and Aang were to have a private dinner together. Aang waited impatiently in the dinning room and was pacing back and forth until the door slowly opened and Katara walked in. Aang felt his throat let out a slight gasp, he could not believe that Katara was even more beautiful than he had remembered. Her hair was still long and it draped over her shoulders and accentuated her deep blue eyes. It was a warm summer evening and she was wearing an outfit much like the fire nation attire she wore a few years ago.

While he was still frantically trying to regain his composure, she was noticing how much he had changed in two years. The wrap he was wearing exposed one of his well developed shoulders. He was now taller than she was and he had let his hair grow out again which accentuated his beautiful grey eyes.

"Aang it is so nice to see you! I have missed you so much".

Aang was trying to remember the words he wanted to say and was only able to blurt out "Katara you look wonderful". They both ran to each other and embraced after some time the finally stepped back away from each

"I really like your hair you let it grow out again. I also made a big change I have become a vegetarian and as you can imagine Sokka is not too happy about it"

Aang was curious to hear why Katara had given up eating meat but that would have to wait. "Katara, I really hope you understood why I needed to go away. I wanted both of us to have time to decide if we were meant to be together. During the past two years I questioned myself if being with you was what I really wanted or not." He needed to catch his breath for a moment " I was wrong when I said that being apart from you would not change how I felt about you, if it is possible I love you more today than I did before.

Every morning that I was gone I would wake up feeling lost and alone and it became obvious to me that being the Avatar gave me a purpose but it meant nothing if I could not share it with you. The ache that I felt in my heart was almost too much to bear and no other person or thing could make it go away. Katara I really need to know did you miss me as much as I missed you?"

"Aang I need to tell you something". Aang's heart leaped into his throat. "After you left I realized that you were right that it was not fair to be with you if I was not certain how much I cared for you. I know I should not have kissed you like I did without knowing for certain how I felt but I was so relieved that you were safe. I knew I could never lose you again like I had before when Azula hit you with lightening". When you left I knew I had to discover what my true feelings for you were. I dated Huru for a very short time but we both realized that we only cared for each other as friends. As it turns out he and Tai Lee have hooked up and have been together for some time now."

Aang let out a huge sigh of relief about Huru. "So after Huru and I broke up I went back to Aunt Wu. She once told me I was going to be with a great bender so I asked her if I was supposed to be with you but all she could tell me was that I was meant to be with someone who was strong yet sensitive but who most importantly could make me laugh. I realized then that I didn't need Aunt Wu or anyone else to tell me it was you that I needed to be with. Aang I am sorry it has taken me this long to figure that out. I was too afraid to see before".

Before Katara could say another word Aang rushed toward her and put his finely developed arms around her tiny waist and kissed her passionately. Much to his delight she responded to his kiss with equal vigor. They both were afraid to let go of each other for fear the moment would end. Aang then realized that he had accidentally air bended them to be floating a few feet off the ground but Katara had not seemed to notice so he lowered them back to the ground without having to let go of her waist or her lips. After the kiss Aang got down on his knees and asked Katara if she would marry him and presented her with a ring. On the outside of the ring the symbols of all four nations were engraved on it air, water, earth and fire and on the inside it was inscribed with these words "Katara, I will always have faith in our love, Aang". Aang had the ring made when he stopped by to see Master Piandao in Shu Jing. Master Piandao was honored that Aang had asked him to make the ring. He had seen first hand how much the young Avatar loved Katara. The ring was made out of the same meteor rock that Sokka had used to make his space sword. Aang asked Mater Piandao to also make another sword for Sokka since he lost his during the battle with the Fire Nation. "Yes, I would love to marry you Avatar Aang" cried Katara.

After Zuko's wedding Aang contacted Roku again to let him know what had happened. "I told you being the Avatar doesn't hurt your chances with the ladies and didn't I tell you that love would get better". Aang just smiled.


End file.
